Things have taken an interesting twist in the breakfast TV battle
It seems not too long ago many, including myself, had written the TODAY show off for the year. In fact, it looked like ABC News Breakfast would beat the Channel 9 breakfast show for the number 2 position for a while there.
But how quickly things change.
Momentum has been building for the Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon hosted show and this week with a win on the East coast and in key markets.
This is the snapshot (more details below):
- TODAY won the 5 city metro in all key demos (but not total people)
- TODAY won the East Coast in all key demos and Total People
- TODAY won Melbourne win in all key demos and Total People
- TODAY won Brisbane in all key demos and Total People
- SUNRISE won Sydne in all key demos and Total People
Speaking exclusively to TV Blackbox, Nine’s news boss Darren Wick says momentum is building but there’s still a long way to go:
“We’ve got a good team behind the scenes and on air. These guys are working together nailing big stories and having fun”
Sunrise still proved to be Australia’s favourite breakfast program across the 5 capital cities with 259,000 to 229,000, the real battle is taking place over on the East Coast of Australia where the most sales revenue is generated.
On the East Coast (Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane) Today beat Sunrise 195,000 to 181,000 in total people, continuing a three-week running streak. Nine’s offering also won people 25-54 (76k – 57k), people 16-39 (25k – 18k), and Grocery buyers and children (42k – 31k).
Today continued its winning trend in Brisbane across total people (63k – 47k) and key demos. The show has now claimed that market for the past 8 weeks.
Melbourne was a surprise win this week in a market where Sunrise usually dominates with Today claiming victory in total people (61k – 58k) and all key demos.
In Sydney Sunrise remained victorious in total people (76k – 70k) and all key demos.
TV Blackbox understands research shows the chemistry between Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon is resonating with viewers. In fact, Karl is seen to have grown in the last 6 months and seems to have turned the corner from recent negative opinion.
*Get the latest TV news every Tuesday morning with the TV Blackbox podcast
Sunrise, meanwhile, has become a victim of its own success with the two key hosts now only working 4 day weeks.
David Koch does not work on Fridays any more and Sam Armytage does not work Mondays, leaving newsreader Natalie Barr to fill in on those days.
For its part Seven points out Sunrise’s many successes, including the fact the show is Number 1 nationally, 5 city metro, the east coast, and in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth for 2020 year to date.
While those stats are not in doubt, the growing ratings (and wins) for the TODAY show on the East Coast are an interesting development.
Seven also points out Today has dropped to third place behind ABC’s News Breakfast for much of 2020, for the first time ever – information acknowledged at the top of this article.
With so much revenue (and pride) at stake in the breakfast battle, don’t expect either side to go down without a fight.
Perhaps if Sunrise stopped the anti QLD rhetoric in regards to border closures a few of us might switch back..
Sunrise wouldn’t be hard to beat with some of the denotation are still associated with it that persist in jaw bashing the other states.
All the time that self opinated ginormas ego inflated Karl is on Channel 9 I wiil never go back to their station. Accuses people of having affairs whilst he was doing the same thing. What a Hypocrite, wonder how he gets through the tv doors every day with his all about me attitude.